SOUTH AFRICA: Surviving A Lion Charge Lion In The Kalahari!!!

[Frederik]

Great thread and great instructional video as well. Congratulations on your Lion.
Pondering what has been said regarding the mono metal bullets like Barnes, should your PH have known this was not the right bullet to use? I certainly am not casting blame or pointing fingers, just curious to know.
I shot a Cape Buffalo and Crocodile 3 weeks ago using my 375 H&H and Barnes 300 gr TSX hand loads. They performed just as they should. In talking with our PH’s regarding hunting the cats, both of them said without hesitation that a softer lead core like the Swift A-frame or Nosler Partition is what you use on cats.

@WyoBull the speed of the 375 H&H made all the difference in making the TSX open up properly.
The speed on the double was and is not as effective in making the bullet to open up thus making it act more like a solid.

 

[Africa Sun Safari]

If you have a look at the bullet retrieved out of the lion, you will see the bullet did exactly what is was designed to do … all 4 pedals opened up. Sometimes animals play by a whole different set of rules.

 

[Rare Breed]

So very true!!!

 

[Nurse Hunter]

I had two great weeks in Zim with Dalton & York! While my three friends then went home I stayed to hunt a male lion with @Africa Sun Safari in The kalahara desert. I did extensive research and decided to hunt my lion on 22,000 acres with the lion being there for four weeks prior to the hunt…no one week lion on 1,000 acres. The hunt was nothing short of outstanding!!! Justin and his team simply outdid themselves with incredible service and accomidations!!! Adrian his PH that also hunted with me was outstanding as well! The food and sites were out of this world!!! Now on to the hunt

We had tracked this male lion for some time when we finally caught his tracks and caught up to him resting in the short Jess resting. We got within 52 yards with the wind and thorn bush in our favor!!! I had my 470 NE DR on the sticks hoping he would stand up…but with the wind starting to shift and my having a clear Target I took the shot. On autopsi we found my initial shot went through his ear and through both lungs providing a dead cat…someone forgot to send the memo however telling the lion it was dead…it got up and charged me. It stopped at 20 yards as the first shot took its toll…I shot high though on my second shot. The lion then made its final charge giving us time to reload dropping him at 7 yards!!! I thought my heart would come out of my chest!!! You can hear me on the attached video thanking my PH in case I missed on my last shot!!!

I cannot recommend African Sun Safari more!!! First class PH’s and accomidations all the way!!!

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Nice lion. I want to hunt a lion. I'm very jealous. Congratulations

 

[Frederik]

If you have a look at the bullet retrieved out of the lion, you will see the bullet did exactly what is was designed to do … all 4 pedals opened up. Sometimes animals play by a whole different set of rules.

Do you have a picture you can post always nice to see recovered bullets.

 

[Rare Breed]

Here is my 470 NE DR Barnes TSX bullet recovered from my lion that went through ear and both lungs.

 

[Frederik]

Here is my 470 NE DR Barnes TSX bullet recovered from my lion that went through ear and both lungs.

Thank you @Rare Breed now we know the bullet didn't fail or did not fail to open as it should even at the speed of your double rifle.

 

[Rare Breed]

Thank you @Rare Breed now we know the bullet didn't fail or did not fail to open as it should even at the speed of your double rifle.

As my PH stated, my first shot killed the lion, no question, it just did not know it…as Justin, my PH, said you just never can tell what DG will do

 

[Frederik]

As my PH stated, my first shot killed the lion, no question, it just did not know it…as Justin, my PH, said you just never can tell what DG will do

So true its the dead ones that kill you a quick follow up shot with the double would have made a big difference.

 

[NTO]

Nice lion taking one with a double makes it even better. I love lion hunting. And never let someone tell you CBL is not hunting. They hunt and kill just like a wild lion seen it myself many times. If you are hunting with a reputable outfit that has ethics CBL lion hunting is the best bang for the buck in dangerous game hunting. Would rather buy a CBL lion on foot than set in a blind and wait for a wild lion to show up and shoot him out of a blind but each his own.

 

[PARA45]

As my PH stated, my first shot killed the lion, no question, it just did not know it…as Justin, my PH, said you just never can tell what DG will do

That is how those bullets supposed to look like, the expansion is perfect. What your PH said is so true, oh and that lion wanted a piece of you. He just didn't want to die without getting to you first. We'll be talking about your hunt for a very long time, what a priceless and scary experience.

 

[Rare Breed]

That is how those bullets supposed to look like, the expansion is perfect. What your PH said is so true, oh and that lion wanted a piece of you. He just didn't want to die without getting to you first. We'll be talking about your hunt for a very long time, what a priceless and scary experience.

You and I given we are both Georgia boys will have to share a drink sometime and discuss my many mistakes my friend!

 

[Rare Breed]

Congrats @Rare Breed on a safe and successful lion hunt and thank you for sharing! What is the make of the optic (red-dot I assume) on your Merkel 140? Great photos too!

A Trijicon SRO in 1 MOA

 

[Rare Breed]

Congratulations!

May I ask a question - please forgive my potential stupidity:
Wouldn't it be "easier" to fire a second security shot directly after the first one, when the lion is still down... maybe that would have stopped the charge before it even started...

I never hunted lions and potentially never will, it's just what came into my mind while watching the video.

while you are correct with all humility and no excuses notice the lion stopped 20 yards short of me dazed at my first shot…cut me no slack…I missed my second shot in my excitement then too slow on reload

 

[Ruraldoc]

I am seriously looking at a lion myself. Would my 416 remington with 400 grain partitions be a good choice? I have 4 boxes of them and they feed and eject perfectly in my Model 70 .

 

[Ruraldoc]

I also have a M70 in 375 that I shoot well and a Brno 602 in 458 Lott that I’m just getting to know. It holds 6 rounds but is not quite as smooth as the M70s. It has been worked over and is super reliable but not sure I can get off repeat shots as quickly as the smoother and lighter recoiling M70s.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I am seriously looking at a lion myself. Would my 416 remington with 400 grain partitions be a good choice? I have 4 boxes of them and they feed and eject perfectly in my Model 70 .

Yep

 

[Ruraldoc]

Is that a huge lioness or a beardless male? Looks like a big ole cat.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Is that a huge lioness or a beardless male? Looks like a big ole cat.

Lioness, she was about 312 lbs. head like a pumpkin.

 

[Ruraldoc]

Lioness, she was about 312 lbs. head like a pumpkin.

Was it a single 416 partition? Where did you hit her and how quickly was it over?